Should Mike Tomlin feel like Rodney Dangerfield with Steelers fans and commentators? “Steelers have underachieved in playoffs for past decade.” He can change that with another Super Bowl.

Mike Tomlin, 2020 season

… are Steeler fans spoiled with their six Super Bowls?


A football coach who wins 65 percent of his games should be immune from criticism. Remember, however, this is Pittsburgh. 


No one is immune from criticism. 


However, while Mike Tomlin’s record of 224-145 [.650] is impressive, but it is second-best among active NFL coaches. 


First, that is his regular-season record, and Pittsburgh Steeler fans do not like second-best. 


Is that fair?


Well, the Steelers fans often judge their coaches by their success in the postseason. A little comparison will help to understand that. 


Mark Madden’s argument about Tomlin


After the Steelers had lost to the Washington team and the Bengals, Pittsburgh sports commentator Mark Madden wrote a very detailed analysis of why Steelers fans are unkind to Tomlin,


Mike Tomlin is immune to unemployment. That’s because he never has had a losing season and because the Steelers have only had three head coaches since 1969.


Those aren’t bad reasons.


Tomlin’s regular-season record speaks for itself. 


Stability at head coach is a big factor behind the Steelers’ consistency and success over the last half-century.


But if the Steelers don’t win a playoff game, it closes out a rotten 10 years.


The Steelers will have had three playoff victories in 10 seasons and zero Super Bowl appearances. 


That’s despite a Hall of Fame quarterback for that entire span and arguably football’s best wide receiver and running back for the best part of it. This year marks their third consecutive late-season collapse.


Mark Madden, “Mark Madden hot take: Steelers have underachieved in 

playoffs for past decade,” Tribune-Review, December 26, 2020


The story is about the postseason and we Steeler fans have Chuck Noll to credit, or blame, for that. 


Chuck Noll’s record


The truth is that Chuck Noll took over a woeful franchise in 1969, one that had not won anything, despite its beloved owner and founder, Art Rooney, Sr. 


Over the next decade he built what is known now as a super power, a.k.a. Steeler Nation, starting in 1974. Over six years, he won four Super Bowls, the greatest achievement in such a period in NFL history. 


Over his 23 years as head coach, Noll’s postseason record was 16-8 [.667] as he won four Super Bowls.


Over his 15 years as head coach, Tomlin’s postseason record is 8-7 [.533], with one Super Bowl, though he can improve that this year.


However, the difference is very clear. Noll’s regular-season record is not nearly as good as Tomlin’s [193-148-1, .566], but his legacy with Steeler fans are those four Super Bowls.


Second, Noll’s talent level in his last ten years was not what Tomlin’s has been the past ten years, which is what has many fans upset. 


Madden outlines the talent level that has been wasted


In his column, Madden is correct in his analysis about the past decade,


The Steelers have underachieved since 2010, and not because they weren’t talented enough.


Among the Steelers’ five playoff defeats over the past 10 years are losses to opponents quarterbacked by Tim Tebow and Blake Bortles. Their three postseason victories are against equally nondescript QBs: A.J. McCarron, Matt Moore and Alex Smith.


The failures can’t be blamed on playing in the AFC during New England’s dynasty era. The Steelers only lost a playoff game to the Patriots once in the time frame referenced.


The locker room has had more dopes than leaders during those 10 years, and more turmoil than calm. 


The aforementioned best receiver culminated his nonstop circus act by walking out before his final campaign in Pittsburgh had finished. The best running back tanked an AFC championship game because of a minor injury and sat out an entire season. The residue of the Toxic Twins still lingers. 


The brands of individual players have compromised the franchise’s brand.


Mark Madden, Tribune-Review, December 26, 2020


I have written extensively as to why I think that is: Lack of discipline. I will not repeat that here.


Bottom line


Here is the problem for Tomlin, but it is one that he can correct this year with a Super Bowl victory,


It’s been a disappointing 10 years. Tomlin oversaw all that. If he’s not at fault, who is?


The offensive coordinator is, of course.


Randy Fichtner will get fired. That’s how the Steelers placate the marks. It’s tried and true.


Tomlin will be back. Ben Roethlisberger will be back. 


Albert Einstein will be proven right. This franchise isn’t what it was, or what you think it still is.


Mark Madden, Tribune-Review, December 26, 2020


The 11-0 start buoyed the enthusiasm of many fans, but then those four losses have not brought them back to his side.


The last decade


How did that last decade go? We have one more year, this one, but here is the first nine,


Four season did not make the playoffs: 2012, 2013. 2018. 2019. Lost in first round in 2014, 2015, 2017, and were pummeled in AFC title game in 2016 by Belichick, Brady, and the nefarious Pats.


Tomlin can change that, and certainly, drawing the Browns in the first game helps. But trying to get by the Chiefs and Bills, and even the Ravens or Titans, may not be easy. 


But, it can change Tomlin from Rodney Dangerfield to a mini-version of Chuck Noll.


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